An Unbreakable Bond
by LydeaBlaze
Summary: RECENTLY UPDATED. A one-shot that made me cry when I was writing it. It is set after The Trap and it is before the up and coming fanfic Torn Between Loyalties. Autumn Rose and Soren read a scroll from Kludd. Soren ends up traveling to their former hollow in Tyto Forest to meet his downtrodden brother whose dreams have haunted him to for the past few months...


An Unbreakable Bond

"The only thing that is stronger than anything else is the bond between siblings, especially between siblings, whether it be two sisters or two brothers…" –LydeaBlaze (me)

EDITED VERSION –Months later than before

Soren and his friends are hanging out on a typical night in the Great Tree of Ga'Hoole, on the sidelines of the hustle and bustle of City Centre. They are just hanging out in City Centre talking. Well… Otulissa is gossiping about the students she knows in the GTA and they try to either be involved or ignore. Twilight seems to ignore and so does Gylfie. Out of all of them, Otulissa attends the GTA still. If anything, she hangs out with them because she is dating Soren when she could be hanging with her friends from school. Soren does want Otulissa to fit in, especially stopping her petty fight with Gylfie, because they are dating.

"Did you see how Mary and Francis were walking like that? She is such a hoe. That is her 12th boyfriend by now." Otulissa scoffs

"Like a spotted owl here who makes herself look like one." Gylfie spats

"Stop it before it starts." Soren grumbles with a roll of his eyes

"Guys, a two-timer alert, Carrie and Alex. He is with Maria right now and this Tawny right now." Digger says, trying to get into the spirit of gossip.

They see Princess Autumn, the small spotted owl Princess of Ambala and Lady of Ga'Hoole, walking around and she looks a bit rushed and confused, darting about through the crowd. They may be looking over at the couple of owls when they see the Ambalan Princess roaming around. They then go over to see what is wrong. They are good friends with her, not because she is the girlfriend of their favourite ryb and the once warrior legend Lyze of Kiel, Ezylryb.

"Princess Autumn, is something wrong?" Gylfie asks the small spotted owl, starling her a bit

"Oh, The Band." She exclaims, startled of their sudden appearance, before she chuckles

"Sorry for startling you, Autumn. You looked a bit lost." Soren apologises

"Oh, its ok." Autumn smiles "It can sometimes be a bit daunting when someone just… well… does that. It doesn't help that I am pretty small either."

"So, what's up?" Soren asks

"I was actually looking for you, young'un. There seems to be a problem…" Autumn replies with a wink to Soren and the three other members of the band

"I think we ought to leave you be, if it sounds bad." Gylfie says, noticing what Autumn means. She had derived a conclusion and thinks that the problem has something to do with Soren's brother, Kludd.

Everyone starts to move off and Otulissa is a bit suspicious about all of this. She noticed the wink from the spotted owl ryb and thinks that everyone is up to something.

"Wait a…" Otulissa says, suspicious

"Come on." Gylfie says as she shoves Otulissa away

Gylfie, forcing Otulissa, Digger and Twilight leave Soren and Princess Autumn to go the library, watching for until they enter and out of earshot. Otulissa is struggling against the owls forcing her, as she wants to know what all this business is about.

Soren turns to Autumn and asks, "Has this got to do with my brother?"

"Yes, Soren. I didn't tell the monarchs something important, so follow me." Autumn answers as she starts to walk off "We don't want anyone hearing what I have to say."

They end up in Autumn's classroom and she gets a scroll out from a hiding place in the classroom. She then holds it in her talons. Soren sees the emblem on the scroll and it is the symbol of the Ambalan Royal Family, the Kin, which Autumn is obviously related to. She then takes out another scroll from a different hidey-hole and it has the Pure One symbol on it. She places them down. Soren looks toward the Ambalan Princess with confusion. Why would she need to hide scrolls in her classroom?

"The Ambalan forces had apprehended this scroll from a Pure One messenger. They had said it was to be sent to the Ga'Hoole tree. My sister in law, Queen Merissa of Ambala, sent it here with the following to say." Autumn says as she picks up the scroll

"Kludd tried to send a message?" Soren asks

"Yes." She replies

"What did your sister in law say, Autumn?" He asks

"Bear with me, it is written in French for some reason." She says, agitated.

"Sorry, just a bit antsy. I think it could be a death threat against us or me…"Soren gulps

"To the Guardians of Ga'Hoole,

The Owl World Elite Resistance forces apprehended this message on the day of August 11, at 4:18pm. They presented it to the Ambalan Senate and we decided to send it here. The message contains mention of an audience with a certain member of your guild. An owl by the name of Soren. We don't know what else to say and that is all we know.

Sincerely,

Queen Merissa Kin, Queen Dowager of the Forest Kingdom of Ambala." She translates and reads aloud

"He wants to see me?" He asks

"Well… I don't know. I myself haven't read the scroll from the Pure Ones." She replies

Soren opens the scroll and they begin to read the contents…

"My baby brother, Soren.

Look, I know things are bad, but… I just have been having some bad dreams as of late. You are 16 now and I, almost 18 years old. I don't know… Things have been weird.

I haven't told anyone what I have written or even discussed my daymares with Nyra, but… I just have to tell you, little brother. I have been worried about things. I sorta miss you, ma, da and Eg. I know I have my new family of my wife (well, that's what I call her since I want to marry her sooner or later when I do turn 18 in a few nights I am thinking of proposing) and the Pure Ones to deal with, but… my daymares keep reminding me of home.

I just want to talk to you at least, ma and da won't want to see me and I am not sure about Eg. I mean, I moonblinked her and she might hate me for what I did. I know she is five, but she might hold a grudge. I know that you might hate me for what I did, but… I don't know, bro. I've been so confused and frustrated and I don't know what to say anymore.

I know you would hate me, like I said, but I would appreciate it if you come to where we used to live and just to meet me there. I promise not to bring guards or anything else… I am really lacking sleep over this and I just can't seem to get a break away from it. Nyra is worried and I just want to do what my gizzard is telling me and to just try and at least talk to at least you, without the dark side trying to kill ya.

I just want to say something before I sign off…

I'm sorry, Soren. I'm sorry.

If you don't show, I understand. I won't hold it against ya.

Kludd."

Soren looks to Autumn and she has tears in her eyes. She had read the sweetest thing she had ever heard, even if she hates Kludd for what he did, kidnapping her, almost drowning her and giving her a nasty head wound which didn't heal for weeks after that fight. The barn owl himself is confused as to why his brother would be saying this.

Months back, his brother was about to kill him in the burning forest by throwing him into the fire that raged below them. He also always made fun of him and was the one behind why they fell out of the tree that fateful night. He remembers when Soren was standing up to Nyra with Gylfie in St. Aeggies, his brother rejected following him. He also knows that he is alive and a few months after what appeared to be his defeat, he returned. Kludd attacked when he, the band, Ezylryb and Autumn were sent to see what the Pure Ones are doing in Tyto, well, Rosewood, which is on the northern border. As they planned to take over, according to a reluctantly written SOS that came from the resistance leader, Ramaxon Pettit, for the Guardians. Kludd almost killed Autumn when he took her over the falls on complete accident, but perfect weapon to advantage, almost killing those who went to her rescue, Soren and Ezylryb, also.

He looks at the scroll with a confused glare before Autumn attracts his attention by tapping his wing.

"Look, I understand if you don't want to see your brother." She says

"What do you mean?" He asks

"My brother was a bastard that did so much wrong to me. He hated me. He abused me in every way. He called me names, he hit me, he ignored me, and he rejected me. I understand if you don't want to see your brother ever again." She explains while trying to remain strong over painful memories that would return, "Mine is dead now because of the unruliness of this war, but yours isn't."

"That is what happened to you?" he asks

"Soren, your brother sounds desperate. Sure, he has some flaws, literally, but he is your big brother, I know that you wouldn't want to see him and would be mad to even venture out of the Ga'Hoole Tree, putting your life at risk for a meeting with your brother, but he needs you."

"I would be… but…" He says before hesitating his answer

"Never lose faith in anyone. He may be the Pure One High Tyto, but heck, he is still your brother. Go and see what is going on, Soren." She offers her advice

"I will… Sure, I may be going to put myself in danger, but I don't give a damn. He is my brother and you are right, Princess, I mustn't give up." He says with pep

"I'll cover for you, it is the least I can do." She smiles

"Thank you, your grace." He smiles

"Anytime." She replies

Soren takes off and they both had seen the tear marks on the scroll to see that it is genuine. Enlightened by the advice of the Ambalan Princess, he leaves Ga'Hoole, but with a small blade, to make sure if something goes wrong, he has a backup plan. On his way home, he remembers all the good times with Kludd, memories that he thinks could haunt the mind of his elder brother, the PO High Tyto. He arrives at the hollow to find his brother holding Soren's old leaf helmet. The place has been somewhat packed up and left uninhabited since months ago.

"I remember when you and Eg played that game over a million times. That memory haunts me like hagsmire." Kludd sighs

"Kludd… is that really you?" Soren asks, hesitantly

"Besides the helmet and the burns… yeah, it is." Kludd sadly says, remaining distant from Soren

"I came… I read your scroll…" Soren says nervously as he feels like he is walking on glass; one blunder and he could shatter

"I didn't bring anyone with me. Nyra and the others were asleep when I left." Kludd replies to his brother's short sentence

"I left shortly after some I know and I read the scroll… She told me some advice." Soren informs his brother

"Was it the same owl I tried to kill? I would tell her sorry, but she is with whatever his name is." Kludd asks

"Princess Autumn of Ambala? She's going to be married to Ezylryb in April next year. Yeah, yeah. She told me to come and see you. She says that…" Soren says before he gulps "That you are my brother… no matter what. She is a wise woman, I guess."

"Yeah… I agree." Kludd sadly smiles "She must be wise to say something like that when her brother hated her. Well, he's dead now, so… yeah."

"How are things since… you know…" Soren says, in hope his brother will talk to him

"A bit off I guess… What with all the constant daymares happening every bloody night, I call it karma kicking my hide. And… The preparations for my birthday are happening so…" Kludd replies "How about you?"

"Same here." Soren sadly replies "but, I have been sorta a bit distracted lately."

"You know, I am sorry… I just… Things have been off for me as of late. If you have come here to kill me and not forgive me for all that I have done and said, you can. I just wanted to see my brother and to set things right with at least you, or to try to." Kludd says, with some anxiety and sadness as to what his brother will do with the blade he holds in his claw

"I did sorta blurt out to da in an argument a few weeks after what happened back here with everything to do with what almost happened to Autumn or whatever that you are the High Tyto and ma started crying. I sorta blew it. I'm an idiot and I know it. Eg knows the truth too, but doesn't know the half of it. She knows you are just bad. I accept your apology, big brother. Like Autumn said to me "never lose faith in anyone"." Soren says

Kludd smiles to his brother and Soren smiles back. Kludd scuffles the feathers atop of his little brother's head. Soren can't help but be sorry for what happened in the fire, he feels his brother's pain for the side of his face that is charred to a crisp and hidden under the helmet. sometimes, if he had another plan as to what he could have done, things would have happened differently. Kludd himself says that if he did not try to attack… he would not be haunted with this memory for the rest of his life, along with almost drowning in Rosewood. He sometimes wakes up in the middle of the day with fear. Nyra usually has to calm him down, as he remembers the flames and the water and always sees the side of his face that is charred as a reminder of who he has become.

They know that they are either side of the Everlasting War that plays out, but they know that they are brothers, no matter what. When they say their goodbyes after spending some time together, they know it might be the last time they see each other and if things go back to the way they were before this ever happened, they know that they are still big brother and little brother.


End file.
